CANANDAIGUA — When Bernie Pierce caught the bowling bug he was 19. It was 1966, during a bowling heyday that lasted for decades — before the Internet and when families, clubs and students flocked to bowling alleys for sport, fun and socializing. Pierce joined the ARC League. It stood for Aloquin, Rushville and Canandaigua, from where many of the members of the post-World War II league hailed. But with the sharp decline in bowling in recent times, which included a dwindling number of ARC leaguers, Pierce recently found himself that last participating member.

“It’s a fantastic, dying sport,” said Pierce during a recent Tuesday evening at Roseland Bowl in Hopewell. Having missed few Tuesday bowling nights in nearly 50 years, Pierce, a retired electrician with the Canandaigua City School District, this night faced a typical scenario: empty lanes and few folks coming and going, let alone bowling. Along with longtime friend and Roseland Bowl general manager, Bob Callari, Pierce reminisced about the good times. That included a high point at Roseland, when the Professional Bowlers Tour came in 1992.The pros attracted a crowd, plenty of attention and even captured a pro from Washington State who stuck around, Scott Alexander, who runs Roseland’s Pro Shop.

“We remember when every lane was full,” said Callari, who worries how long Roseland Bowl can hang on. There used to be a waiting list to get a lane, he said, and now those wait areas are in moth balls.

But Pierce and a band of bowling enthusiasts are now shining some light on the predicament — a revived version of ARC. With Pierce the president, fellow Roseland patrons Jeff Kachmaryk, Cliff Roelle and Barb Barkley have rekindled a local bowling league they call Tuesday ARC Mixed.

Bowling “is more of a hanging-out sport than competition,” said Kachmaryk, who looks forward to future Tuesdays with friends and some light-hearted bowling action. Like Roelle, Barkley and Pierce, Kachmaryk is glad to be taking part in preserving a once-popular pastime. And having Bernie, a member of the original ARC League, makes it extra special, said Barkley.

Callari said while he believes the slump in the economy contributed to the most decline in bowlers, the sport is surprising affordable. Now, he hopes the enthusiasm of the new Tuesday ARC Mixed League will tip off folks to the benefits of bowling. Praising the revived league, Callari said, “these four people are getting it going again.”

For more information about the leagues, rates and other details, call Roseland Bowl (585) 394-5050.